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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25338577">butterfly curse</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/illusoryy/pseuds/illusoryy'>illusoryy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:41:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>665</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25338577</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/illusoryy/pseuds/illusoryy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>backstory for my original character, iris.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>butterfly curse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Frederick calls his name.</p><p>He knows it's his name, because the words are fuzzy and slip from his mind when he tries to catch hold of them. He knows it's his name because that's the only thing he can't hear quite right, and he has very good hearing.</p><p>He's not allowed to remember his name. Not his real one, anyway. He made a new one up for himself. It's Iris, but Frederick doesn't know that. He's keeping it a secret as long as he can.</p><p>His name is called again, and he leaves his desk, making his way through the labyrinth of rooms until he finds where he's supposed to be.</p><p>Frederick is holding a potion. This is never a good sign, because it means he wants Iris to test something new. The first time his hair turned purple. The second time he grew gemstones in his skin. The third time he forgot his name.</p><p>This potion is deep, deep purple, deep enough to look almost black. It's in a little round bottle, and it's fizzing very violently, like it's trying to escape. Frederick is wearing gloves and a warm smile, the kind of smile he puts on when he knows he's going to get what he wants.</p><p>"I'd like you to drink this," he says, and holds it out.</p><p>Iris takes the bottle, as is procedure. He uncorks it, and is taken by surprise as the liquid tries to fizz out of the bottleneck. "Drink it quickly," Frederick urges, so he does. He drinks the entire thing, draining it til the last drop, because if he doesn't then he'll be punished.</p><p>Nothing happens for a moment. Then slowly, slowly, it begins to take effect.</p><p>It begins around his heart, a sort of burning sensation, but not like fire. More like the feeling he gets when he handles dangerous and potent ingredients for Frederick so he doesn't have to get his hands dirty. They burn through the glass, even when he's wearing gloves.</p><p>The feeling begins to spread through his veins, the pace quickening as his limbs begin to shake of their own accord. There's a rising panic in the back of his mind, and his breathing becomes shallow and fast and something like magic rises under his skin and all of a sudden he's pale white like porcelain and there's deep purple cracks in the back of his hands and something's trying to burst out and it *burns-*</p><p>"Quick," Frederick calls, "cast something!"</p><p>He does as he's told, because by now he's wide-eyed with terror. He casts an illusion on his hands, trying to fix them, trying to bring himself back to normal. It fades far too quickly, but the cracks have receded a little. He casts again, and again, until his skin's gained a little colour back and there's no more purple.</p><p>Frederick nods to him. "You can go back to what you were doing now."</p><p>He's about to do as he's told, already at the door, when he turns. "What have you done to me?" His voice is hoarse. This is the first time he's spoken in weeks. He doesn't get an answer the first time, so he asks twice more before Frederick sighs impatiently.</p><p>"Your magic is more potent now than it was before. I was testing the side effects. You might want to keep going with those illusions, casting's the only way to keep it in check. I'd rather you didn't die on me, I need you for testing. Now get out."</p><p>Iris leaves and huddles at his desk, the strange feeling still burning near his heart. He casts another illusion. A butterfly perches on his hand, and vanishes. The burning fades a little.</p><p>This is a curse, he realises. This will follow him for the rest of his days. Frederick doesn't care about him past his use as a test subject, his generosity is false. Iris looks down at his heart. It's bruised deep purple.</p><p>This is a curse.</p>
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